bookstores and basketball
by katielynnleigh
Summary: hermione's a cheerleader preparing for her school's winter basketball tournament. theo's a player on her rival schools team. what could possibly go right? AU, NON MAGICAL.


**disclaimer: i own nothing.**

"Let's go Lions!" Hermione yelled through her megaphone, smiling as she saw all her classmates rise to their feet, cheering on the basketball team for the yearly Winter Wonderland Basketball Tournament that took place over most of Winter Break every year. Gryffinshire Charter School has had a great basketball team since Hermione was a freshman, but it was her senior year. They had to win the tournament.

Hermione took her spot beside Ginny Weasley, her best friend, and began singing the school song with the rest of the Varsity cheerleaders. The basketball team ran throughout the gym, shooting layups and passing basketballs to each other. The cheerleaders spread themselves out in front of the bleachers, chanting the names of the starting five.

"Harry Potter! Ron Weasley! Seamus Finnigan! Dean Thomas! Neville Longbottom!"

The five were the stars of the school, leading the basketball team through victory after victory in the regular reason. Even Neville, who is pretty awkward and clumsy, is a good player.

As the pep rally died down, Hermione headed to the locker room to change out of her red and gold cheer uniform. Cheer wasn't her favorite thing – she'd much rather be reading or studying – but she's been doing it all her life. Starting gymnastics at five, cheering through middle and high school, and she'll no doubt be cheering through college. She sighed as she pulled a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt out of her duffle bag before putting on her jacket and wondering out into the gym. The students had already left – save for the cheerleaders and basketball team. Janitors were already cleaning out the gym for the first game tonight against the Durmstight Prep Academy. They were a good team, but since their star player Viktor Krum has graduated several years ago, the team slowly lost their technique.

"'Mione!"

Hermione turned around to see Lavender Brown and Parvati Patel, two other cheerleaders, making their way towards her. She offered a small smile, tightening her pony tail, "What's up?"

"The players from all the other schools are already in their hotels for break. Coach wants us to stand outside and greet them and take them to their seats," Parvati explained.

Hermione nodded, grabbing Parvati's list out of her hands. "You have Slyther Central, Beaux Batons and Salem North," Lavender told her. "I have Huffle Community High, Salem South and Wartsh East, Parv has Castle Prep, Durmstight Prep, and Academy of Auror, and Gin has Hogsmede West, Hogsmede East and Wartsh West."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Why is it only the four of us?"

Lavender shrugged. "Probably because you're senior captain, Gin's junior captain and Parv and I are assistant captains.

Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes. Of course Captain Houch would make the four of them do it.

"All right. I have to go home and clean up and I have to pick up my check from work, and then I'll be back." She offered her friends a smile before making her way out to the parking lot and getting into her red car. She let her mind wander on the way home. She was put on varsity cheer when she was a freshman because Coach Houch had been so impressed with her. The same year, she began dating one of her best friends, Ron Weasley. Things didn't work out and he dumped her sophomore year, and she hadn't dated anyone since. Instead, she threw herself into as many extra-curriculars as possible. She was already in cheer, but she also joined the Thespians society, getting fairly large parts in all of the schools productions. She joined speech and debate team, because being a cheerleader and a thespian gave her no time to show off her knowledge. She joined show choir, and got a job at a bookstore. _I'm you're perfect high school poster child,_ Hermione thought to herself, a bitter smile on her face.

She reached her house and parked in her driveway, not surprised to see neither of her parents were home. They we're both working. She unlocked the door to the house and let it fall shut behind her, slowly treading upstairs, plugging her iPod into its dock and starting her shower water. She needed to relax before she went back to school. She slowly washed her hair and let the song envelop her.

_Nights I spend alone_

_I spend them running round_

_Looking for you, baby_

_Nights I spend alone_

_I spend them running round_

_Looking for you, baby_

_Looking for love._

_Looking for love._

Hermione sighed contently. It seemed like this was the only time she could get away from the hustle and bustle of her everyday life to calm down and try to be herself.

* * *

Hermione's favorite part of the day was when she could go into the bookstore she worked at. Flourish and Blotts is a bookstore in a shopping district called Diagon Alley. She first discovered the place when she was eleven years old and has loved it since. The manager hired her once she turned sixteen and she's been working there since.

She door chimed as she walked in, the familiar scent of vanilla and sandalwood welcoming her. She walked up to the front desk, grabbing the envelope below the desk where her check was always waiting for her. She was just about to walk out of the shop when a voice stopped her.

"Excuse me, miss, do you work here?"

Hermione looked up – into the eyes of the most attractive male she'd ever seen.

"Y-yes, I do. What can I help you with?"

Hermione felt her face flush pink at her stumbled words. His tall physique and messy black hair were too much for her.

His eyes, blue green and inviting, lit up as he smiled. "I was wondering if you could help me find 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D Salinger?"

"Of course!" Hermione said. "Right this way." She led him to the back of the bookstore where the young adult novels were kept, reaching for the book and handing it to him. "If that's gonna be all for you, I can check you out."

"Okay, great!" He said, following her to the front of the store.

"So.. are you reading it for school? I remember I had to read it my sophomore year, but I'd read the book a couple years before, it's a great book." Hermione bit her cheek to keep herself from talking; she was rambling.

"No, actually," the man responded. "I'm reading it on my own free will. I've wanted to read it for a while, but it took me a while to finish Gatsby and Wuthering Heights."

Hermione looked at him dubiously as they reached the checkout counter. "You just read for fun, too?"

He laughed, looking away from her eyes. "Yeah, you could say that." He watched her scan his book and put it in a bag, sliding his debit card before she said the price. He grabbed his receipt as soon as it finished printing. "Thank you again.."

"Hermione."

"Hermione, right. Thank you." He gave her another warm smile before he left. Hermione watched him leave, heart beating fast. It wasn't until she was back at school in the locker room putting on her cheer uniform and makeup that she realized she didn't even know his name.

* * *

"Slyther Central Prepatory School!" Hermione called, going up to greet the coach of the team. "Hello, sir. I'm Hermione Granger, senior captain of varsity cheer at Gryffinshire Charter School. I'll be your escort tonight."

The coach, a man with a crooked nose and greasy black hair, shook her hand. "Coach Snape, nice to meet you, ma'am."

Hermione smiled at him and his team. Slyther Central might be Gryffinshire's biggest rival, but she was trying her best to remain civil. "Right this way, sir. Your team will be sitting on the west side of the upper part of the gym, except for when you are playing of course." Hermione led the team up the flights of stair that would lead them to their seats, trying to ignore any eyes she felt staring at her backside. "The restrooms are to the left of where you're sitting, and the concession stand is directly to the right. If you need any help finding anything, just give me a holler." She smiled at Coach Snape, and began walking past the team – most of which towered above her head – back to the court. She was almost past the team when a familiar voice stopped her.

"Hello, Hermione."

She turned around, and found herself staring at the guy from the bookstore, wearing a green and silver Slyther Central warm-up, the name _T. Nott, 11_ inscribed into the upper left breast of the jacket.

_..Crap._

* * *

**haiiiiii everyone :3**

**so. basketball is reallllllly big in my school, which is what inspired this. and, i LOVE themione asdfghjkl and i really wanted to try this out with them. i haven't written in a while, so please let me know what you think!**

**and in case you're wondering.. the song from when hermione was in the shower is vomit by girls.**

**review/subscribe please!**


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